Terms of Use

Acceptance of terms

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) apply to your use of the PlanetPath website at planetpath.xyz, including the Planet Path Calculator and all related pages (together, the “Website”). “PlanetPath”, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to the operator of the Website.

By accessing or using the Website, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website. Our Privacy Policy explains how information is handled and forms part of how the Website operates.

Website purpose

PlanetPath is an educational astronomy website. Its main tool, the Planet Path Calculator, lets you:

• See approximate distances between Earth and the other planets in kilometers, miles and astronomical units
• Choose an average, closest, farthest or date-based distance
• Estimate how long a journey would take at a speed you choose
• Read reference facts about each planet

The Website is intended to help people understand the scale of the solar system. It is free to use and does not require an account.

Educational information

All content on PlanetPath, including planet facts, explanations, examples, tables and calculator results, is provided for general educational and reference purposes. It is written to be clear and accurate, but it is simplified by design and may not reflect the latest scientific findings.

Some figures change as science advances. For example, the number of confirmed moons around the giant planets rises as new discoveries are confirmed. Reference values on the Website are rounded and may differ from other sources that use different definitions, dates or methods.

Calculator estimates

Planetary distances change over time. Earth and the other planets orbit the Sun at different speeds on slightly oval paths, so the distance between Earth and any planet is constantly changing. The calculator therefore offers several distance options. Average, closest and farthest values are derived from a simplified orbital model, and the date-based option estimates the distance on the day you choose. None of these is presented as an exact, current or official measurement.

Travel times are simplified estimates. The calculator divides the selected distance by the speed you enter. This assumes a spacecraft travels in a straight line, at a constant speed, from the moment it leaves Earth until it arrives. That makes the results easy to understand and compare, but no real spacecraft travels this way.

Calculator results are educational and reference calculations. They are intended to illustrate scale and compare scenarios, not to predict the duration of any real journey.

Accuracy and limitations

We work to keep the Website accurate, but we do not guarantee that any content or calculation is complete, current, error-free or suitable for a particular purpose. In particular:

• The orbital model is a simplification and leaves out small effects that more detailed models include
• Date-based distances are designed for the years 1800 to 2050 and become less reliable outside that range
• Results are rounded for readability
• The Website may occasionally be unavailable, contain errors, or behave differently in some browsers

If you notice an error, please let us know. We review reports and may correct or update content, but we are not obliged to do so within any particular time.

Acceptable use

You may use PlanetPath for personal, educational and non-commercial purposes, as long as you use it lawfully and don’t interfere with anyone else’s use.

We may restrict access for anyone who breaks these Terms.

Intellectual property

Unless stated otherwise, the Website’s original content, including its text, design, graphics, illustrations, layout and code, belongs to PlanetPath and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may use it as described in section 6, but you may not copy, republish or sell substantial parts of it without our written permission.

Some underlying data comes from publicly available scientific sources, such as the approximate planetary orbital elements published by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Rights in that source material remain with its original publishers. Names of organizations and missions mentioned on the Website belong to their respective owners and are used for identification only.

External links

The Website may link to other websites for reference or further reading. We don’t control those websites and aren’t responsible for their content, accuracy, availability or privacy practices. A link does not mean we endorse the linked site. Your use of other websites is governed by their own terms.

No professional or official mission guidance

Nothing on PlanetPath is professional, engineering, scientific-research or official mission-planning advice. Actual spacecraft missions depend on many factors that the calculator does not model, including:

• Orbital mechanicsCurved paths shaped by the Sun’s gravity
• Launch windowsTiming that depends on planetary alignment
• Trajectory designThe route chosen to reach the destination
• AccelerationSpeed changes during launch, cruise and arrival
• Gravity assistsFlybys of other planets that alter speed and path
• Other factorsFuel, spacecraft design, mission goals and more

Limitation of liability

The Website and its content are provided “as is” and “as available”. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we make no warranties, express or implied, about the Website, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, availability or fitness for a particular purpose.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, PlanetPath will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of, or inability to use, the Website or from reliance on any content or calculation on it. This includes indirect or consequential loss.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain warranties or liabilities to be excluded or limited. In those places, these limitations apply only to the extent the law allows, and nothing in these Terms affects rights you have that cannot be waived by law.

Changes to terms

We may update these Terms from time to time, for example when we add features or when legal requirements change. When we do, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. Continuing to use the Website after changes take effect means you accept the updated Terms. We may also change, suspend or discontinue any part of the Website at any time.

Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the country where PlanetPath is operated. Any disputes relating to these Terms or the Website will be handled by the courts of that country, unless the law where you live gives you the right to bring a claim elsewhere.

If any part of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest will remain in effect.

Contact information

If you have questions about these Terms, please get in touch through our contact form.

These Terms are written in plain language to explain how PlanetPath may be used. They are not a statement of compliance with any particular law.